


A hole in the wall

by Ischa



Series: Raising John [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Red Robin (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Boys Kissing, Families of Choice, Family Feels, Flirting, Gen, Humor, Kid Fic, M/M, Polyamory, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 05:53:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15454785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ischa/pseuds/Ischa
Summary: In which Jason raises a kid from another dimension. He has this dad thing down to a T. And he needs Dick’s and Tim’s help like he needs a hole in his head.“His name is John,” Jason said.“John, nice, normal.”“We’ll have to see about that. Maybe he’s a lovecraftian fish person and here to enslave us all.”Tim snorted. “I like that you take it with humor. But in all seriousness: that’s why I didn’t call Bruce.”“If the world ends, I’ll blame you,” Jason joked.Tim grinned. “Deal.”





	A hole in the wall

~Chapter One~  
“Jay, Jay, Jay, Jay, Jay…” 

Jason looked at the small figure huddled against the grimy wall and then blinked. “What the fuck?”

“That’s a bad word Jay,” the kid said. He was clutching a piece of black fabric to his chest and his eyes were bright. Jason could see one pale shoulder, the skin pebbled with gooseflesh.

“How do you know my name?” Because he was in his (imposing, he might add) Red Hood outfit, helmet and all.  
The kid cocked his head. Crunched up his nose adorably and looked at him from under his long dark eyelashes.  
And it hit Jason then – like a rock to the head – he knew those eyes. In fact he had followed the distress call here and – “Oh hell no.” 

“It’s not me,” Tim said behind him and Jason spun around. That boy was like a fucking cat. Always lurking in the shadows too. And he probably thought it had been funny to let Jason think it was him.

“Thank fuck,” Jason replied. 

“Bad word,” the kid pouted. 

“Jay is very sorry he said it, aren’t you Jay?” 

“You gave some random kid my name?” Jason asked, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Does he look random to you?” Tim asked, his head cocked to one side. 

It reminded Jason of the kid’s gesture just a moment ago. “He looks like you. I imagine when you were his age?”

“Close enough,” Tim said. He jumped down from the fire escape he had been crouching on and landed nearly silently just a few feet away from where Jason was standing. 

“Why did you call?” 

Tim gave him a look. “Really?” 

“I mean…yes, I get it, but also: why? You could have handled this on your own. And then there is the obvious choice: Nightwing.”

“You were close. This is not a good neighborhood-“

Jason snorted. They were in the fucking Narrows. Every creep was living here. Jason looked at the kid and then took off his jacket and put it gently around the boy’s shoulders. “Why is he naked?”

“I don’t know. I need him to not be here, Red,” Tim said. “Can you take him somewhere safe?” 

Jason sighed. “You will explain this to me.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Yeah, as soon as I’m done here,” Tim replied after a too long heartbeat. 

“I mean it,” Jason said. 

Tim nodded, once sharply. Like a fucking bird. Jason rolled his eyes behind his mask. “Okay, Kiddo. You and Uncle Jay are getting out of here.” 

The kid blinked at him. “John.” 

“Pardon?”

“My name is John, not Kiddo,” John answered. 

“Cute,” Jason said. He scooped the kid up and the boy cuddled against his chest. 

“Is cold,” he said quietly. 

“We’ll get you warm soon enough,” Jason replied. 

“Thank you Jason,” Tim said. 

Jason nodded. 

~+~  
John was exploring the safe house on bare feet and in one of Jason’s t-shirt, which looked like a dress on the boy. Jason was glad this was one of the nicer safe houses and that the guns and sharp objects were all safely hidden away.  
He made John a grilled cheese sandwich and tea, because someone had left some in a cupboard and Jason knew that kids shouldn’t have any coffee. Besides the boy needed something warm in his stomach. 

“So, John,” Jason said, putting the food down on the table. 

“Yes?” 

“Why are you not scared of me?” 

“Tim said you’re nice and will take care of me,” John said and then nodded, once sharply. It was such a mindfuck. 

Jason sighed. “Alright, yeah, I will give you that. Eat up and then you can maybe tell me where your parents are.”

The kid climbed onto the chair and started eating. The first bite was controlled and careful, but after that he wolved the sandwich down.  
Jason waited for John to finish and then shoved another sandwich at him, which the kid also wolved down.  
“Still hungry?” Jason asked. 

John licked his fingers. “I…yeah.”

“More grilled cheese?” Jason asked, getting up. 

“Do you have meat? Bacon maybe?” 

“Sure,” Jason said and set about making grilled cheese with bacon. 

After another two sandwiches John patted his belly and sighed. “Thank you.”

“So John, can we contact anyone for you?” 

John shook his head. “No.” 

“Do you not know where they are or…” he trailed off. 

“They’re dead,” John said in a tiny voice. 

“Your parents?” Jason asked. 

“My whole pa-,” he bit his lip hard. 

“You’re whole family?” Jason prompted gently. 

John nodded. “Yes. They’re all dead.” 

“Do you know how you got here? I mean the city, the alley Tim found you in?” Jason wanted to know.

“Magic,” the kid answered. 

Oh, hell no, Jason thought. That was probably the reason Tim had been shifty about all this and why he had called Jason instead of Dick or goddam it Bruce. Bruce hated magic with all his might after all. 

“Of course,” Jason said. It wasn’t that magic was everywhere these days, but it was there, lurking around in the shadows, stalking the corners of dreams and reality and – Jason really needed to stop thinking about this. 

The kid blinked again. “You know magic?” 

“We met, I’m not a fan,” Jason said. 

The kid frowned. “But- magic is good and warm and good.” 

“Of course it is, where you are from,” Jason said. “Where is that?” 

The kid bit his lips again and played with the hem of the too big t-shirt he was wearing. 

“You don’t have to tell me, obviously,” Jason said. “You can stay here regardless of what you do or don’t tell me or Tim.”

“I like Tim, he’s scary. Like a big cat.” 

“That he is,” Jason said. Over the years he had learned not to hate Tim and if he was hones he and Tim actually worked really well together. 

“Is he coming here soon?” 

“What? You don’t think I’m great company?” Jason joked.

“You make good grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches,” John replied, and then yawned. 

“Thank you. You should sleep a bit. Tim will take his sweet fucking time-“

“The bad word again,” John said. 

“He will be a while, why don’t you go lay down on the sofa, yeah?” 

John hesitated for a moment like he was thinking about the pros and cons of Jason’s offer and then he nodded.  
Jason grabbed him a blanket from the closet and once little John settled down he got the good stuff from the freezer. During his stint in Russia a few years back he had acquired a taste for Vodka.  
He had no idea what Tim was thinking, bringing the kid here. Jason was not a good choice to deal with fragile things, god forbid fragile human beings. 

~+~  
“I hope you’re not drunk,” Tim said from the window. 

“There is a door, it works perfectly fine,” Jason replied. 

“Are you drunk?” 

“Give me a break, Babybird,” Jason said, running a hand over his face. “I’m watching a kid from another dimension; of course I’m not drunk. But I wish I was.” 

“He talked to you?” Tim asked, as he made his way over to the small kitchen table. 

Jason shrugged. “Seems to like me. He didn’t say that much, but we do know now his parents, hell his whole family is dead. So cheers to that. Seems we’re really all orphans here.” 

“Shit.” 

“Yeah. He also eats like a kid twice his size. Don’t know if that is normal where he comes from or if it was because he hadn’t eaten in days.” He shoved the Vodka towards Tim. Tim was now old enough to drink. In Russia and other countries as well. So there. 

Tim eyed the bottle. “Thanks, but no. Did he say anything else?” 

Jason looked at him sharply then. “Why don’t you tell me how you came by this kid?” 

Tim sat down. “I was chasing your run of the mill thug-“

Jason snorted. “Go on.” 

“And then suddenly there was a hole in the wall and this kid staggered out, naked and looking freaked out.” 

“And all your protective instincts kicked in.” 

“Of course. What would you have done?” Tim asked. 

Probably the same fucking thing. “A hole in the wall?” 

“Yes, it closed up as soon as the kid sat his ass on the pavement. So I let the thug go and took care of the boy.”

“Gave him your cape and everything,” Jason said. Bruce used to do that too. Hell, if Jason had a cape he would do it too. 

“It’s cold and he was naked,” Tim replied. 

“His name is John,” Jason said. 

“John, nice, normal.” 

“We’ll have to see about that. Maybe he’s a lovecraftian fish person and here to enslave us all.” 

Tim snorted. “I like that you take it with humor. But in all seriousness: that’s why I didn’t call Bruce.” 

“If the world ends, I’ll blame you,” Jason joked. 

Tim grinned. “Deal.” 

“You know he most likely knows about the hole in the wall, right?”

“There were no cameras where he came through, so even if he knows about the hole, rift whatever, he doesn’t know about John. I want to keep it that way, at least for a while.”

“That’s why you didn’t call Dick? Because he’s shit at lying to Bruce?” 

Tim cringed. “You were closer.” 

“But I also don’t care about lying to Bruce,” Jason said. 

“Yeah.” 

“Kid needs a home not this safe house, even if it’s one of the nicer ones. Something off the grid,” Jason said. 

“You’re between jobs now, right?” Tim asked. 

“Oh, hell no,” Jason said. 

“But he likes you, you can protect him. It’s not unusual for you to just disappear for a while without telling anyone or checking in. It’s what you do. That’s your normal behavior. You’re perfect for this.” 

Jason cursed silently. He should have known Tim would do this. Tim was a planer. He had probably been solving this problem the second a hole opened up in that dark cold alley and John had stumbled out.  
“You’re seriously saying I’m your best option?” 

“You will protect this kid with your life. I know you will Jason,” Tim said earnestly. 

The thing was, Tim was right. Jason would protect that kid with his life. 

“I will set you up with a place and money,” Tim continued. “You need a new identity as well.” 

“Hell, no.” 

“But- how will you explain-“

“I’m keeping my name and John is keeping his name. You can give him my last name,” Jason cut him off. 

“Fine.” Tim conceited. “I’ll have everything ready in two days. Could you maybe buy him some clothes and other necessary things – like a toothbrush and I don’t know, toys?” 

“Don’t worry about it. I got this,” Jason answered. 

“I’m not worried, Jason. I know John is in good hands with you.” 

Jason was sure as hell going to do his best to – what? Raise the child? Was that what he was agreeing to now?  
Fuck. He had to figure this out and soon. 

~Chapter Two~  
The fucking suburb, Jason thought as he looked at the house – white picket fence and all. 

“At least he didn’t send us to Smallville, right?” 

John, who was holding Jason’s hand since they got out of the car, looked up at him. “Is Smallville not nice?” 

“It’s small,” Jason answered. 

“Duh,” John said. 

“Right, I think we should get in and unpack our stuff and-“

“Oh, hello there, you must be Mister Todd and who is this handsome little fella?” A woman asked, coming closer rapidly.  
John growled low in his throat and hid behind Jason’s leg. 

“John. He’s shy around strangers,” Jason said. 

“Better these days, for sure. You hear all the horrible stuff on the news about kids going missing, but not here!” She hasted to add. “This is a nice neighborhood.” 

“Looks like it,” Jason said, eying the street up and down. It was quiet, it had small front gardens, there were cats lying on the sidewalk. Really…so far from home. 

“I was surprised the house sold so fast and have to admit I didn’t see anyone view it.”

“Tim chose it,” Jason said, absentdmindly. 

“Oh. Will your partner be joining you soon?” She asked. 

Jason blinked at her. Thought about correcting her, then decided not to bother. “No, not very soon I imagine. He works a lot, but the city was getting to us, you know?” He was actually enjoying this. Way too much. 

She nodded.  
It seemed for a second like she wanted to ask which city Jason meant, but there was no way in hell Jason would tell anyone, so he told her that John needed some dinner and they both needed a shower, because it had been a long drive. Which was also true. 

“Of course, Mister Todd,” she said, smiling. “Welcome to the neighborhood.” 

“It was nice meeting you,” Jason replied, shaking her hand. 

Once inside he leaned against the closed door and breathed. 

“Strange woman,” John said. He was looking around the house. It wasn’t the manor, obviously, but it wasn’t really small either. 

“Noisy woman,” Jason said. “Let’s explore this place and then have dinner.” 

“What’s for dinner?” 

“What would you like?” Jason asked. 

“Meat, bacon…sausage?” 

“We’ll see what’s in the fridge and then we decide, okay?” 

John nodded. 

He was a boy after Jason’s heart, but Jason also knew that eating the vegetables was important. Tim’s voice was playing on loop in his head ‘eat your vegetables, eat your vegetables, eat your… ‘ At least he wasn’t going to feed John protein bars like Bruce used to do with them. 

~+~  
Mrs. Winterbloom (And what the fuck, really? Jason thought), was their elderly neighbor to the right. She seemed well off and was constantly baking cookies. It seemed to Jason she had been waiting for a kid to move in next door so she could feed them.  
She wasn’t as noisy as the woman who had greeted them the day they arrived. Mrs. Smith (call me Annie!).  
John was growling at Annie over the white picket fence whenever she came too close to what John seemed to perceive his territory.  
Jason was pretty sure this was not a normal kid, but John was growing on him. Had been growing on him since he called Jason’s name in that dark alley.  
They were just having lunch when Tim came in, with his own key, of course. 

“Smells good,” Tim said. He looked at their spread; it was mostly meat and then sighed. “Jason.” 

“There are carrots and French beans,” Jason replied. 

“Tim,” John said, getting up and draping himself around Tim’s legs. Tim was in civvies of course and he looked way too young to be a father. 

“Hey Kiddo,” Tim said gently. “How is living with Jason?” 

“Good,” John said and nodded, once sharply. Like Tim always did as well. 

“You want a plate?” Jason asked, already getting up. 

“Yeah, thank you.” 

“Are you staying Tim?” John wanted to know, he was clutching Tim’s pullover. So Tim sat down in the chair next to him. Jason handed him a plate. 

“For the weekend,” Tim replied. 

“Good thing too, because Mrs. Smith thinks we’re married,” Jason replied.” And she was constantly hinting at wanting to meet my partner and John’s other daddy.”

“What?” Tim asked, blinking. 

Jason nodded. “She thinks you work too hard and that a child needs both their parents. She’s traditional that way.”

“I – what did you tell her?” 

“Nothing, really. She came to all these conclusions on her own. Also: John doesn’t like her much.” 

John nodded. “Strange woman.”

Jason could not argue with that. “She will have a fit once she sees how young you are.” He piled Tim’s plate full with chicken and vegetables, because Tim was just sitting there. “Eat up, husband.” 

“We’re not married.” 

“I know, it’s scandalous.” 

Tim laughed. It was this half snort, half giggle and it was kind of adorable. 

John hummed under his breath as he tore a piece of chicken from his fork. He seemed content. Hell, Jason was feeling content too. They had only been here for over two weeks, but they had already settled into a routine. They woke up, had breakfast, John went to the garden while Jason worked and then they explored the neighborhood.  
John was curious about other children, but hadn’t approached any yet on the playground they sometimes ended up at.  
Jason thought John was around six or seven and the question of school or no school had been at the forefront of his mind for the last few days. 

“I checked out the neighbors, you know that, right?” Tim asked, after he ate a forkful of beans. 

Jason nodded. It didn’t stop him from doing his own background checks on everyone living on his street of course. “Now you have to meet them too.”

“I like Mrs. Winterbloom, she bakes good cookies.”

Jason nodded. “We’re all about the cookies and meat in this home.” 

Tim smiled again.  
They made idly chatter in front of John over dinner, and once John went outside to play in the garden and Jason had put away the leftovers and done the dishes he looked at Tim. 

“So…any news?” 

“About what exactly?” Tim asked. 

“John, the hole in the wall, how long I’m going to play house here. I do have my own projects, you know?” Jason answered, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“I’m guessing you didn’t find out more about where he came from? How we can send him back?” 

“You want to send him back? To the place where his entire family died? Or was killed. Because I think they were killed. He has nightmares, Tim.” 

“You want to keep him?” 

Jason shrugged. It wasn’t ideal, but he thought he could do it. Be a vigilante, maybe on the downlow, not full in like he used to and raise John. Hell, Bruce did it four fucking times, if Jason was only going to count the boys, six if he counted Steph and Cass too. Granted, Bruce had fucked up along the way, but Jason was sure he could do better. Because he wasn’t Bruce. 

“Bruce managed.”

“Bruce had Alfred,” Tim pointed out. 

“I have you, husband.” 

Tim groaned and his cheeks colored slightly. “I’m never here.”

“You’ll have to change your ways then, but really I can be a single dad. Maybe we should break up,” Jason joked. 

Tim frowned. “I don’t even know what to say to that.” He sighed. “We will keep this partner thing up. It explains why I have a key and can come and go as I please.” 

“Very reasonable,” Jason said. “So, what are we going to do?” 

“Honestly, I have no idea. I exhausted all the clues and chucking it up now to a one time freak accident. I don’t think it will happen again. The kid is stuck here with us. For better or worse.”

“His name is John,” Jason said. 

“Yes, I know,” Tim replied. 

“But it’s freaky how he resembles you,” Jason said. 

Tim ran a hand through his hair and messed it up charmingly. Hell, if he thought Tim was adorable or hot, he really needed to get laid. Soon.  
“I know,” Tim said. “Imagine me a dad in some other universe.” 

“Maybe you’re not a vigilante in some other universe,” Jason mused. “Maybe I never died and came back in some other universe. Hell maybe my parents were decent people…maybe Dick’s never were murdered. Or Bruce’s.” 

They considered that in silence for a long moment. It was mind boggling what Bruce could have been like if his parents hadn’t been murdered. 

“If you’re willing to keep this up, I’m willing to keep this up for as long as it takes.” 

“John is probably around six, so…for however long it takes could be a long time,” Jason said. 

“Yeah, I know.”

“Someone will start asking questions eventually,” Jason said. 

“You mean Dick?” Tim asked. 

“Yeah, I mean Dick, Babybird, because I’m not blind, I know something had been going on between you two. I would go as far as to say you two hooked up, are still hooking up?” 

“Shit,” Tim said. 

“You wanted to keep it a secret?” Jason asked. 

“For a while longer at least,” Tim answered. 

“Well, if you don’t want him to think you’re cheating on him, you better come up with a plan, husband.” 

“I will.” 

“You’re a good liar, I know this. You’re better than anyone I’ve ever met, but it’s different when you’re together with someone.”

“I know,” Tim said. 

“Good, just don’t fuck this up, for me or John, or Dick or yourself,” Jason replied. 

“I’m really trying not to,” he looked Jason in the eyes then, and it was bizarre, because they looked so much like John’s. “You would be alright with me telling Dick about this?” 

“He has to keep his mouth shut about John,” Jason replied. 

“He has your last name…” Tim mused. 

“He has your eyes,” Jason pointed out. “He looks nothing like me. He looks a lot like you…what if you’re female in some other universe,” Jason said. That was kind of a hot image. 

“Are you picturing me naked?” Tim asked. He sounded a bit scandalized. 

“Now I am,” Jason answered with a grin. 

Tim groaned. “I’m too tired for this right now.”

“We can talk about it tomorrow over breakfast. There is a food market John and I meant to check out, you want to come with?” 

“Yeah…sure.”

“You’ll meet a lot of those nice people we call neighbors now.” 

“On second thought-“

“Too late now,” Jason cut in. “Go shower, and sleep. I bet you’ve not been sleeping like a real person for days.” 

Tim nodded. “I hope you have coffee. I can’t function without coffee.”

“There is coffee Babybird. It will be waiting for you in the morning, black and hot and delicious.” 

“Thank you Jason.”

“Go to bed.”

~+~  
John was holding Jason’s hand for all of five seconds when they arrived at the food market and then he got distracted by pies and small pears with bacon stripes around them.  
“Jay! Jay!”

“Yes,” Jason said. 

“Can we try these?” 

Jason looked at the pears, they were fruit and if the bacon helped John make peace with fruits and vegetables, then Jason was all for it. “Sure.”

Tim sighed beside him. 

“Pears,” Jason said, paying for six of the small snacks. “Are good for you.” He handed two to Tim, two to John and kept the rest for himself. They were delicious. The bacon was cross and the pears sweet.  
Tim licked his fingers once he was done.  
John smiled happily up at them and then was away again, exploring the next food stand. 

“You are good with him,” Tim said. 

“He’s a nice, weird kid. I feel kinship, I guess.” 

Tim threw him a look, but Jason had no idea what it could possibly mean and then John was waving at them frantically. “Tim! Jay! Look!”

It was a stand with little cakes. Jason was so here for that. 

They spent hours at the market. John still ate like a grown person and Jason still had no idea if that was normal for him or not. But he rolled with it, because John seemed fine. He had fun, he was healthy. He still growled at random people, but that was fine too. 

“Jason, John!” Mrs. Smith said, waving at them. John growled lowly in his throat. “Won’t warm up to me, will you?” She asked laughing. 

“Mrs. Smith,” Jason said. 

“Annie!” She replied. 

“Annie,” Jason corrected. 

“Back from the food market I see,” Annie said. 

He was wearing a bag full of food, so yeah, it didn’t take the greatest detective to figure that one out. He nodded. “Yes.”

Annie was eyeing Tim, who was perfectly fine looking bland and saying nothing.  
She smiled at him and held her hand out. “I’m Annie, Jason’s left side neighbor.” 

“Nice to meet you, I’m Tim.” 

“How weird, Jason’s husband is called Tim too,” she said, laughing. 

“We’re not married,” Tim replied, deadpan. 

“Yet,” Jason added. It seemed Tim wasn’t going to make friends with Annie either. Like father like son.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she looked from Tim to Jason and then to Tim again. “You look really young.” 

“Sometimes you just know,” Tim replied. 

“Of course,” Annie said, she looked flustered. John was yawning and tugging at Jason’s hand. 

“Home,” John said. 

“Yes, of course,” Jason said, brushing John's hair away from his eyes. “Just a second-“

“No, it was a long and exciting day for John. Don’t mind me. It was nice meeting you, Tim.”

“Likewise,” Tim said with a small smile. 

Jason scooped John up and let Tim open the door and then they were inside and Jason was laughing so hard and didn’t even know why.  
His whole fucking life was actually surreal and so awesome at the moment he didn’t know what to do with it. 

~Chapter Three~  
Because John had nightmares Jason wasn’t going to leave him alone at night, so he could go out and hunt scum down in the streets of the closest city, besides that would only attract unwanted attention. But he was feeling restless after eight weeks of playing house and knew that something needed to happen. He needed a job, a routine, something to punch. 

He didn’t need the money. Tim had provided them with a full bank account after all. And even if Tim hadn’t had done that, Jason had enough money stashed that he could easily afford to live here for another two years or so before it ran out. And then there were the weapons of course. He could sell those if push came to shove. Not all of them, but the bigger shit, he wasn’t using that often. Maybe one of the bikes too. 

He was enjoying a cigarette, musing about his life and what to do about the restlessness in his bones when John came out running of the house and pulled off his clothes. 

“John!” Jason said, not that he was scandalized or anything, because really he couldn’t give a fuck if his boy was running around naked in the garden, but it was cold and it was night and he should have been sleeping. 

John turned around and growled, his eyes were big and yellow and his teeth were white and sharp. Jason’s instincts kicked in and he was reaching for the gun he usually had on him just to realize that no he hadn’t been wearing a gun on him in weeks. And that that was a very good thing right now.  
John growled again, but it sounded a bit like Jason’s name so Jason relaxed and fucking waited, because what else was there to do?  
John looked like he was in pain, curling up on the grass and growling and whimpering and all Jason wanted to do was go to him, but he didn’t dare.  
And then the change started and Jason bit his lip because it looked just so painful and fucked up and – gross and Jason has seen a lot of gross things in his fucking life, but this…  
It took minutes but then it was over and before Jason stood a wolf cup. 

“John,” Jason said. 

John nodded and then plopped down on his ass and howled. 

Well, Jason thought, that explained that. 

~+~  
They went running for the whole night until John was exhausted and Jason could pack him into the car again and drive them home.  
He let John curled up with him in his bed and watched him sleep, because – because. He needed to know his kid was okay.  
The change back didn’t look so painful, it looked smooth in fact and John didn’t even wake up.  
Once he was back to being a real boy again, Jason dared to close his eyes as well. 

~+~  
Morning came too early for Jason, but when he looked at his phone he realized it wasn’t morning anymore, but noon.  
John was watching him, he was wearing one of Jason’s t-shirts. 

“So…something you want to tell me, John?” Jason asked in a soft tone. He wasn’t mad. He had been surprised. 

John shrugged, bit his lip and then sighed. “I’m a shapeshifter.” 

“That is new,” Jason said. 

“How are you not freaking out?” 

“You want me to freak out?” Jason asked. 

John sat up and the too big shirt slipped of one of his shoulders and he looked just so small and vulnerable and Jason felt so fiercely protective of him it wasn’t even funny. 

“No?” 

“Good, because I’ve seen a lot of weird shit in my day and time and someday I might even tell you a few of those stories, but today is your big day, John.” 

“I’m a shapeshifter, also you said a bad word again,” John repeated.

Jason sighed, because yes, he did say a bad word again, but he felt like this was the time for it. “Yes, but are you a werewolf or something else?” 

John scrunched up his nose adorably. “I can turn into animals.” 

“Ah, okay, see that is a big difference. All kinds of animals?” Jason asked. 

John nodded, then shook his head. His hair was a mess and Jason wanted to smooth it out. “I don’t know. My mommy could do all kinds of animals, my daddy could only do dogs and stuff.” 

“Was this your first change?” Jason asked. 

John nodded. “Did I do good?” He asked, eagerly. 

Jason had no idea, really and no way to compare, but – “Yes, you were a very cute wolf cup and you kept your form for a long time.” 

John beamed at him. 

“Wanna get out of bed, take a shower and then have some breakfast?” 

“Can we have sausage?” John asked eagerly, he was already climbing out of the bed. 

“Yes, we can,” Jason answered, smiling. 

~+~  
He wrote Tim an e-mail, to let him know they needed to talk, soon. That out of the way he made breakfast, and after they ate, John was out in the garden, while Jason did some work and found himself a gym. All that extra energy needed an outlet after all.  
The problem was of course that when he would be at the gym John would be unsupervised and that was not an option.  
He closed his laptop and went out into the garden, where John was building a very detailed fortress in the sandbox. 

“John, can we talk for a bit?” 

John looked up and then nodded. He whipped his hands on his pants and then came over to the patio and sat down on one of the white garden chairs, that wouldn't have looked out of place in a Victorian garden.  
Fucking Tim, Jason thought, fondly. 

“Okay?” John asked. 

“So…I was thinking, maybe you should go to school,” Jason said. 

John scrunched up his nose. “I don’t wanna.” 

“Why do you not want to go to school?”

“Because I want to be with you Jay, and Tim,” John said. 

“And we want to be with you too.”

“Why is Tim always leaving then?” John asked. 

Hell, this was not the conversation Jason wanted to have. But there was nothing for it now. “Because he has to work, so we can live in this nice house and do all the nice things.” 

“Why are you not working?” John asked. 

“Because someone has to look out for you, John,” Jason said, ruffling the boy’s hair. “And I think I’m doing a great job.” 

“Do you want to work? Is that why you think about sending me to school?” 

“Partly,” Jason answered. The kid was very perceptive. “But I also think you could make great friends if you gave other children a try.” 

John picked at the hem of his shirt. “What if they don’t like me? What if they think I’m weird?” 

“Then we’ll find some other school and if that doesn’t work, maybe we’ll hire a tutor. If you want to learn a profession you’ll need to have a diploma, okay John?” 

“Did you go to school?”

“Yes.”

“Did you like it?” 

“Not all of it, but I liked to learn things. Still like to learn things and I know you like to learn things too. You’re very curious about stuff.” 

John nodded. “We can give it a try I guess?” 

“I promise if you don’t like it, we will find something that fits you better.”

“Thank you Jay,” John said. 

“You want to go to the woods? We can play that game with the trees you like.”

“Yes! I’m getting my boots and pens and paper!”

“Don’t forget the –“ Jason smile, because John was already gone. He got up and went to the kitchen to prepare a picnic. Identifying trees was something John really enjoyed, and he was really good at it too, so Jason thought it was time to introduce some other plants into the game, to make it more challenging. He also needed to remind John to grab his backpack as well. 

“I’m ready! Are you ready Jay?” John asked from the door to the kitchen. 

“You need to grab your backpack, some of these goodies are going into it, John,” Jason said, indicating the small boxes with food.

“Oh, right, be right back!” He said and was already dashing up the stairs. 

Jason just finished pouring hot chocolate into the thermos when John skidded to a halt in the kitchen door. “Ready! Let’s go.”

“Put the blue ones into your backpack and then we can go, you have pen and paper?” 

“Yes!” John said impatiently, as he was showing the small containers into his backpack. They had fruits and cookies in them. Jason stuffed the sandwiches and thermos into his own bag, grabbed his jacket and car keys and they were out of the door. 

~+~  
Someone was sitting on the front step when they came back from the woods. One second John was giggling and the next he was very still and growling. Jason shoved him behind himself on instinct, before he recognized Dick. 

“Lurking in the dark?” Jason said. 

“I was waiting for you and I don’t have a key,” Dick said. 

“Waiting for me?”

Dick shrugged. “Waiting for whoever lived her,” he amended. 

Which meant that Tim hadn’t told Dick a fucking word. 

“Jay?” John asked. 

“It’s fine, he’s a friend – kind of,” Jason said, stroking John’s unruly curls. 

“Hi,” Dick said to John, all smiles in his voice, and probably his eyes too, but it was too dark to see his eyes. And the porch light wasn’t working, which – fucking Dick. “I’m Dick.” 

John didn’t answer. Because John didn’t talk to strangers. 

“What do you want, Dick?” 

“Can I come in?” Dick asked. 

Jason sighed. “Fine, move, so I can unlock the door.” 

Dick moved, gracefully like always and John was watching him like a hawk when they entered. Jason helped John with his coat and boots and then sent him to his room to clean up and put away his backpack. He knew John would be back in a matter of minutes. 

He turned to Dick. “You came here, because Tim was disappearing on you and probably lying about it. And you wanted to check it out. I get it. Now you know he’s not cheating on you, so you can fuck off.” 

“You have a kid, Jay.” 

“Thank you for that brilliant observation, captain obvious,” Jason replied. 

“How do you have a kid, Jason?” 

“When a men and a woman love each other very much or are just plain horny-“

“Stop, just stop. You have a kid and Tim is – he set this up for you and the kid-“

“His name is John!”

“Right for you and John and he kept it from me. What am I supposed to think?” 

“That this is none of your business, that I have enemies and John doesn’t need that vigilante shit in his life? That I’m not Bruce and that he won’t be Red Hood’s little sidekick? ”

“Jay?” John asked from the door. He was wearing his pajamas with the little owls on it. And looked endlessly adorable. 

“It’s fine, I was just discussing something with Dick here.” 

John sniggered. “Dick.” 

Jason smiled. “Yeah, Dick.” 

“It’s a bad word,” John said. 

“It’s his name, I can’t help it.”

“Is Dick staying for dinner?” John asked. He was curious about Dick and Jason couldn’t blame him. John could probably smell Tim all over Dick. 

“Yeah, Jay? Am I?”

“What the hell,” Jason said. 

“That’s a bad word too,” John said earnestly. Jason scooped him up and blew a raspberry against his perfect soft tummy. John laughed so hard he was gasping for breath and fuck, Jason thought he loved the kid. 

When he set John down and John plopped onto the kitchen floor Dick was staring at him. “So what will it be?”

John smiled. “Bacon!” 

Jason gave him a look. “What did we promise Tim?”

John grumbled. “Vegetables too…”

Dick sniggered. 

“You are going to peel carrots,” Jason said to Dick. 

“Sure,” Dick replied, easily. 

John was coloring at the kitchen table while Dick and Jason were preparing dinner and Jason had honestly thought that it would be awkward as hell, but they worked surprisingly well together.  
Only half an hour later dinner was ready and Jason was strewing extra crispy bacon on John’s plate.  
John was moaning around his bacon covered vegetables.  
Dick seemed faintly amused.  
It was a good dinner, but Jason knew that Dick would want to talk more once John was in bed. Jason really had no idea what to tell him.  
He was not going to tell Dick about the hole in the wall or that John could shapeshift into (well right now only four legged furry) animals. 

“You can make some coffee or do the dishes while I’ll help John get ready for bed,” Jason said and scooped John up.

John snuggled into him. It had been a long and exciting day for him. He had shifted into a dog in the woods and they had played for hours.  
“He smells like Tim,” John mumbled into Jason’s chest. 

“Does he now?” Jason replied, as he put John down on the bathroom floor. 

John was rubbing his eyes, so Jason prepared his toothbrush and handed it to John. “Come on, John, brush your teeth and then you can curl up in that soft bed with your turtle.” Tim had gotten him that turtle and John loved the thing.  
John nodded and brushed his teeth and then he yawned and Jason scoped him up again and tugged him in.  
John was asleep in a matter of moments. While John had been brushing his teeth Jason had texted Tim about Dick’s visit.  
He hoped Tim would call or write back soon.

Coffee was ready and Dick was waiting on the sofa, sprawled out and beautiful. But then Dick had always looked beautiful and sexy and all kinds of complicated shit. 

“I texted Tim,” Jason said. 

“Figured. I tried to call him, but I guess he’s busy. So…?”

“So, what Dick?” 

“He doesn’t look like you, in fact he looks a lot like Tim…” Dick said. 

“He’s mine,” Jason replied sharply. 

“Okay…just, you know. Strange. And you're keeping it from the family.”

“Is it really that strange to want to keep a kid away from all that madness, Dick?” Jason asked, leaning against the door frame. 

Dick sighed. “It wasn’t all bad.”

“It wasn’t all good either. It was fucked up – I can admit it now. I didn’t know it back then, and it had been exciting and shit, but – yeah, I don’t want any of that crap for John.” 

“So are you retiring?” 

“Pretty much,” Jason said. Now that he had the gym and a few other self-defense classes, he was feeling less restless. He was settling down and it wasn’t a bad thing. 

“Why did you two keep it a secret from me?” Dick asked. “What the hell was Tim thinking?”

“That you would tell Bruce,” Jason said. 

Dick winced. “He would be happy for you.” 

“He would pry,” Jason said. “And I just want to leave all this shit behind me,” he added and realized that it was true. 

“New place, new identity, new family?” Dick asked and he sounded hurt. 

Jason sighed. “Don’t know if it will make you feel better, but pretty much all my neighbors think me and Tim are together.” 

“Oh, so you keep only half of your family?” 

“Dick, shit is complicated enough without you in the mix as well.” 

“Just…who is his mother?” 

“Let it go, Dick,” Jason said. “She’s dead. All John has left is me and Tim, and we’re going to do right by him.” 

“Well, that’s great. Really. All the kudos to you, but seriously, the fuck? He’s my boyfriend.”

“You have to take it up with Tim. It’s not like I’m fucking him.” 

“Yeah, he only spends the weekends her to be with you and John. Playing house,” Dick said.

“It’s not my fault, decision or problem,” Jason replied. 

“How the fuck did this even happen?” 

“Ask Tim,” Jason answered. 

Dick sighed, clearly frustrated. Jason was fucking frustrated too. They were going nowhere with this and fast.  
“And Dick, don’t tell Bruce, or Alfred or fucking anyone about this.” 

“Shit Jay, are you serious about this? About giving it all up?” Dick asked. 

Jason shrugged. “I haven’t been doing much vigilante business since I moved here and to be honest, now I don’t even miss it anymore. I’m out. I’m done. “

“But – it’s your life.”

“It was my life, I paid for it once with my life, I didn’t learn my fucking lesson then, but this – this is different. Don’t you see? I’m not going to fuck up John’s life with my petty obsessions.” 

“You mean like Bruce did?”

“Yeah, exactly like Bruce did. I’m not going to bury my kid, because I thought it was a good idea to put him in a costume and let him play hero.” 

“That’s not what it was, you’re not being fair.” 

“Maybe I’m not being fair, but I guess I can be a dick about it because I’m the one who died.” He looked at Dick then, so Dick knew he meant business. “I will hunt you down if you endanger my kid, Dick.” 

Dick nodded. “I won’t say anything to anyone.” 

“Good, you wanna crash here?” 

Dick smiled. “So your neighbors can talk?” 

“They already think I’m robbing the cradle, so whatever.” 

“Thanks, but I really need to talk to Tim and I think I’ll have to hunt him down,” Dick said getting off the couch, the coffee was cold by now, but that’s what microwaves were for, Jason thought wryly. 

“Good night Dick.”

“Night Jay,” Dick said and then he surprised Jason by hugging him hard. “I’m happy for you.” 

Jason didn’t hug him back, he honestly couldn’t say why. 

~Chapter Four~  
“I want to be a part of this,” Dick said. He was again sitting on Jason’s front step, but it was bright daylight outside. John was looking at Dick curiously. 

“Part of what?” Jason asked. 

“This,” he waved his hand around, indicating the house, the street, Jason and John. 

Jason groaned. “I think we better talk about this inside.” 

Honestly Jason had thought after last time he wouldn’t hear from Dick again. But here he was and wanted – what exactly? Jason really wasn’t sure he wanted to know.  
“John, go clean up and then we can play with your building blocks, okay?” 

“Yeah, Jay.” He hugged Jason’s knees and then dashed upstairs. 

“He seems like a handful, very lively,” Dick commented. 

“Okay, so what is this I want to be a part of this stuff?” 

“You know you curse less now?”

“Dick,” Jason stressed. 

“I talked to Tim and I get it now, he told me everything.”

“Everything?”

Dick rolled his eyes. “About the hole in the wall and all.”

“Okay, go on.”

“And I get that Tim feels a connection to John and I see that you care for John, love him, really. And I want to – be part of it.” 

“You want to help raise him?” 

“Yeah,” Dick said. “I mean even Bruce had help.”

“Bruce had needed the help, because half the time he wasn’t there for us, Dick.” 

Dick winced, but nodded. “Fair, but I talked with Tim and he said to ask you, because you’re the primary parent – Tim’s words, not mine. John is a part of Tim’s life. I share a life with Tim. Is it so unreasonable?” 

It wasn’t, was the thing and Jason could understand where Dick was coming from. Still. “You’re Dick Grayson.”

Dick blinked. “Yeah, I’m aware.”

“No, you’re not. You’re Dick Grayson, adopted son of Bruce Wayne. Gossip rags are writing about you. I admit less than before, but still.” 

“You think someone will recognize me here? We’re not even in the same state as Gotham. No one gives a fuck about me.” 

“No bad words inside the house,” Jason said and then looked at the clock. John should have cleaned up by now. He glanced over to the stairs and sure enough, John was sitting there and listening. 

“How much did you hear?” 

“That Dick wants to be my dad too?” John asked. 

“Would you like that?” Jason wanted to know. 

“He smells nice,” John answered, which wasn't a criteria for most people, but it sure as hell would be for John, because John was – a shapeshifter and did Dick know about that part? 

“I take that as a yes,” Dick threw in. 

“Well, John isn't the one who is making the big decisions here,” Jason replied. 

Dick sighed. “I just want to be included.”

“And how would that work?” Jason asked. He was well aware that John was still listening, but he wasn't going to send John to his room, because John hadn't done anything wrong. This was all Dick’s fault for invading their home and lives. For showing up unannounced. 

“I have no clue, really. I just –“

“You talked to Tim, you wanted to be included and you came here with a half-baked plan. I know you are not stupid, Dick, so what the hell?”

“I like to leap first,” Dick replied with a smile. 

And damn him. He looked charming and Jason wanted him around, because Dick was fun and they worked well together too, but he wasn’t going to risk his son.  
“So, you will come here on the weekends, and be here?” 

“Yeah,” Dick said without thinking about it. 

“You sure, and what if something comes up? What if someone needs you at work? What if Bruce calls?”

“Bruce never calls,” Dick said, avoiding the issue. 

“Dick.”

“I don’t know, okay? I don’t know, but you aren’t working for weeks now and the world is still turning,” Dick said. “It should be possible for me to take some days off during the week.”

“Is Dick someone famous back home?” John asked from the stairs. Jason knew he didn’t mean his home. He meant Gotham. Which Jason realized he didn’t miss at all. “It sounds like he’s someone famous.” 

“I’m well known, I don’t think I’m famous. And as said before I don’t think it would be an issue here,” Dick said with a smile at John. 

“Your job might be a problem,” Jason replied. 

“You want me to quit so I can be with you and Tim and John?” Dick asked. 

“If I say yes, will you quit?” Jason hissed. He was angry, because he had no answers either and it was tempting, Dick’s offer to be here and help parenting John. It was too tempting. Jason didn’t want Dick to disappear on him, or fucking die and leave John with another dead parental figure. 

“I don’t know,” Dick replied. 

“Did Tim tell you that all of John’s family died?”

Dick nodded. “Yeah.”

“So, I’m here and I’ll stay here and I won’t take any risks, because this is more important that hunting scum down for me, you understand?”

And it clicked in Dick’s brain then, what Jason wasn’t saying. Jason could see it. It was all there on Dick’s expressive face.  
“Fuck,” Dick said. 

“No bad words in the house,” John said solemnly. 

“Sorry,” Dick said. “I get it.”

“I know you do. I also know that you will argue about Tim, that Tim does stupid reckless things too, but his kind of stupid and reckless is less likely to get him killed, Dick.”

“I know,” Dick replied. 

“I won’t tell you to quit your job. That’s not a decision I will make for anyone. But I – I know there are no guaranties in life, but we can balance the odds in our favor.” 

Dick nodded. 

“So…I do want you to know John, Dick. I think you would make a good dad or hell even an uncle who isn’t here that often. That will be fine.”

“But it’s one or the other?” Dick asked. 

“At this point? Yeah,” Jason replied. He glanced at John, who was listening attentively and clearly figuring things out in that smart little brain of his. Tim adored him. Tim loved to challenge John and John loved to be challenged and Tim could challenge John in ways Jason didn’t even think about and it was good and it worked.  
Jason knew that John would benefit from Dick’s presence in his life as well, because Dick was when it came down to it a good person. But he was also a wild card. The most reckless of them all. And Jason was still sometimes pissed about Dick faking his death. If Bruce asked again, would Dick do it again? Leave them, let them think he died? Let John think he lost another parent? Jason didn’t think so, but he had done it to them, because Bruce had asked. 

“I want Dick to be my pack as well,” John threw in from the stairs. 

It broke Jason’s heart. “Well, Dick will have to think about everything, so we won’t be in danger.” 

John nodded. He knew that his ability to change forms was rare in this dimension and that it was better to keep it to themselves. Jason had explained it to him, so he knew how serious it was. He didn’t want to scare John, but he also didn’t want to sugar coat their situation. 

“Is Dick staying for dinner?” 

“Yeah, Dick, are you staying for dinner?” Jason asked, because he liked having Dick around. He liked having Tim around too. He liked having a family.  
Dick nodded. 

~+~  
“Well, Dick is thinking about quitting the job,” Tim said. He was sitting on the couch when Jason and John came home and John let go of Jason’s hand and flung himself at Tim, Tim had just enough time to put aside his tablet before he had an armful of boy in his lap. 

“Are you here to lecture me about it?” Jason asked. 

Tim stroked John’s hair and John purred into his chest. He had mastered feline forms to perfection in the last week and was very proud of himself. Jason was very proud too. They had also found a school John liked and he was tentatively making friends. 

“No, just letting you know. He’s thinking about it. In fact he’s thinking about joining the police force in the city, so he could move here.” 

“What?” Jason asked, honestly shocked Dick would even contemplate something like this for him and John. 

“You heard me right.”

“What is Bruce saying to all of this?” 

“Dick hasn’t said a word to Bruce about anything so far. He gave you a promise after all. Honestly, I don’t know if Bruce wouldn’t be glad to hear that Dick is giving up the job.” 

Jason wasn’t so sure, but he kept his mouth shut because he didn’t want to argue about Bruce again. Tim had wanted this. Tim had chosen Bruce. 

“What are you saying to all of it?” Jason asked. 

Tim shrugged and John grumbled, but then he just shifted into a cat and curled up on Tim’s lap. His clothes fell to the floor and the couch.  
“Didn’t know you could do that?” Tim said gently, he scratched behind John’s ears and John purred again. Boy had it good, Jason thought fondly. 

“He’s been practicing all week.” Even to his own ears he sounded proud. 

Tim smiled and then looked at Jason. “We both know I can’t make Dick do anything he doesn’t want to do. He’s seen what you have with John here. He wants it, so he’s trying to come up with a solution. I still love him, he still loves me. But I’m not ready to hang up the cape, we all know it. And you don’t seem to have a problem with my job.”

“You’re the least reckless of us all, Tim. You also have powerful friends, you’re not too proud to call for help. You wouldn’t fake your own death.” 

“I’m still angry about that too, sometimes,” Tim admitted. He patted John’s back gently and it just looked so right. Tim here, and John in his lap. Jason could imagine Dick in the kitchen getting them ice cream or cereal, or hell snacks so they could watch a movie and it all gave him a good, warm feeling in his stomach, or maybe somewhere further up. 

“I don’t want him to regret this,” Jason said. 

“I don’t think he will, but for what it’s worth, he will for sure regret not trying to have this, Jason. I want this too. I want to share what we have here on the weekends and whenever else I can make it with Dick, the person I’m in love with,” Tim replied. 

“John wants him as his pack too.” 

Tim smiled. “See? It’s all falling into place.”

But what he meant, Jason knew, was that they were finally falling into place, as a family. 

~Chapter Five~  
“Officer Grayson,” Mrs. Smith said in that flirtatious tone. Jason sighed. John growled. He would never warm up to that woman, it seemed. 

“Mrs. Smith, lovely day, isn’t it?” 

John growled some more, Jason stirred him away from the patio and further into the garden. They had some more work to do, before the kids and parents would show up in an hour. Dick should really be showering and changing clothes. 

“Yes, yes, I know he’s our pack and she tries to get in his good graces, but we can’t bite her for that,” Jason said to John. 

John growled a bit more, but then started to set the table. Tim was adamant they use proper plates and cutlery. He had been lecturing them about the environment for fifteen minutes when Dick mentioned paper plates. And if proper tableware made Tim happy, who were they to stand in the way of Tim’s happiness. Besides, Jason was trying to be a good example for John, and by proxy, how messed up that was, the other kids John was friends with. 

John had only a handful of friends, but Jason could tell they were all fierce little misfits, like their son. 

“I wouldn’t bite her,” John said, eventually. He looked over the table proudly. “Looks good?”

“Looks perfect. Tim will be really happy about this,” Jason said, ruffling his hair. “It seems we are done. The only thing left to do is prepare the food and wait for Tim to bring the cake.” 

They had ordered the cake, because none of them could really bake. Mrs. Winterbloom had baked them a bunch of cookies for this event too, but she had confessed that elaborate birthday cakes weren’t her thing.  
John nodded. He seemed excited and a bit nervous. It was exactly how Jason felt about the whole thing. He had talked to John’s friend’s parents of course, but they had never had a bunch of kids, well, only four, but still over at their house. 

John grabbed his hand and Jason looked down at him. “What is it?” 

“It’s going to be fine. Everyone likes us.” 

Jason wasn’t sure if that was true, but it was true that no one was giving John trouble because of his unusual home situation.  
Not that they had really felt the need to explain anything to anyone. Dick moved in about two weeks ago and Tim was still staying over on the weekends and whenever he could make it. It worked for them. 

“Of course everyone likes us, we’re an awesome pack,” Dick said, he kissed Jason’s check, because he was a little shit like that and it wasn’t worth fighting over and then he scooped up John and threw him up in the air only to catch him easily. 

“Dick, Dick, Dick, Dick, Dick!” John laughed. 

“Yep, that’s my name,” Dick replied, caught him one last time, kissed his cheek noisily and put him down on the ground again. “I see you two have been busy. Looks good. Tim will be happy.” 

John beamed up at them. “I’m going to change now!” 

“Okay,” Jason said, watching him run to the backdoor and into the house. 

“So, how was your day honey?” Dick asked. 

“Would you cut that out, seriously. People might get the wrong idea.”

“I think people have the absolutely right idea about us,” Dick said, coming closer. Invading Jason’s personal space bubble. 

“Oh, really?” 

“Yeah, they think we’re a very loving family, Jay.”

Which, they were. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but it was good. It was better than anything Jason had dared to hope for his future. He had never thought he would be a dad, or that he would share his life with someone else. Stress over birthday parties for his son. To be honest, he had thought he wouldn’t live to see his forties. But here he was and everything he had thought of so long was his life, was important, just suddenly wasn’t. 

“What are you thinking about Jay?” Dick asked gently, and his hand was on Jason’s hip and Jason could feel his breath on his skin when he spoke. 

“Life. My life to be precise,” Jason answered and looked at Dick’s face and Dick’s face was too close and his eyes were too earnest. 

“What about it?” Dick whispered the question, nearly against Jason’s lips. 

“It’s good,” Jason answered and shoved Dick. “Stop fuc- playing around.” 

Dick grinned. “I wasn’t. And I like that you try to stick to the no bad words in the house rule.” 

Jason rolled his eyes at Dick. Dick had always been a flirt and Jason was just so not in the mood right now, because in less than half an hour there would be a house full of kids and Tim still wasn't here with the freaking cake. 

“Tim better hurry up, because I'm not going to tell our son that he doesn't get cake,” Jason said. 

Dick grinned and gave him a guerrilla kiss. So fast that Jason couldn’t even react. “I love that you think of him as our son.” 

“He thinks of himself as our son, Dick,” Jason said. “And I told you to stop messing around.”

“And I told you I’m not,” Dick replied. It seemed like he was going to add to that, but then they heard the car and a second later John's voice yelling at the top of his lungs. 

“Ah, Tim is here,” Jason said. 

“You think?” Dick laughed. 

“Let's get this party started,” Jason said. 

“You ever thought you'd say that and there weren't any guns and strippers involved?” Dick teased. 

The fucking truth was, that no, Jason hadn't. “You're going to explain stripper to John, if he asks.” 

Dick groaned. “Stripper is not a bad word.”

“Didn't say it was. Just saying, I'm not explaining it to John if he asks, because you're casually throwing it around at his seventh birthday party.” 

“I-”

“Jay, Jay, Jay!” John yelled. 

“What, what, what?” Jason yelled back, grinning. 

“Tim is here! Jay, Dick, Tim is here!” 

“Did he bring cake?” 

“Oh, I don't know! I'll check!” 

They looked at each other and then burst out laughing. 

“Yes! Jay, he brought cake!” 

“Great!” Jason yelled back. 

“This is going to be awesome Jay.” 

Jason nodded. “I know.” 

~+~  
Jason watched Tim kiss John’s forehead and then stepping away so Dick could give John his goodnight kiss and his heart did this thing that was like that feeling when he jumped from a building and landed flawlessly. Joy, he thought a bit shocked. It was childlike joy.  
He didn’t close the door behind Dick and Tim, because John still sometimes had nightmares, less of them and not as frequently, but they left the light on in the hall so he wouldn’t be scared in the dark should he wake up. 

“You’re smiling,” Tim observed as they made their way to the living room. 

“I do that sometimes,” Jason said. 

“No, you grin, you laugh, you mock, this is…something else,” Tim replied. 

Jason threw his hands up. “I’m smiling, big deal.”

“It is for us,” Dick said quietly. “You’ve been angry and unhappy for so long, Jay.” 

“Apparently I am not anymore. Haven’t been for some time,” Jason replied. He flopped down on the couch gracelessly and closed his eyes. “Seems full time dad is my destiny and not full time vigilante. It’s also better for my health.” He grinned, felt a shift and snapped his eyes open just as Dick kissed him gently. On the lips. While Tim was watching. “What?”

“I like this you,” Dick said. “I really do. I loved the angry you too, because I felt guilty, but this you, this you l love for you.” 

“Dick what the hell?” Jason asked, shoving him away. Dick sat down on the coffee table. Their knees were touching. 

“I told you I’m not kidding,” Dick said. 

“Yeah, but what the actual fuck, Dick?” He looked to Tim and Tim just shrugged. Which was no help at all. 

“I told you I can’t make Dick do anything he doesn’t want to do and that also means, I can’t stop him from doing whatever the hell he really wants to do and it seems kissing you has become an obsession. Not that I can blame him,” Tim said. 

Of course, Jason thought, of course they talked about it. “So what is this?” 

“I’m coming on to you,” Dick answered. 

“That part I got,” Jason replied. 

“Good, what else is there? We’re living together, we’re raising a son together. I hope we can have more kids in the future.”

“You want more kids?” Jason asked. 

“You don’t? I mean, that’s fine too, but maybe we can talk about it along the way once more?” 

“Are you two serious?” Jason asked, looking from Dick to Tim and then back to Dick. 

“Like a heart attack,” Dick said. He reached out and put his hand on Jason’s face. His skin felt war and John was right, Dick smelled good. “I didn’t know I wanted this, before you showed it to me.”

“What exactly?” 

“A family, a home, a job that isn’t only guts and broken people and hollow dreams. I can still help people as a police officer here and have you and Tim and John,” Dick said earnestly. 

“And what about you?” Jason asked, turning his head so he could look at Tim. 

“I’m not giving up the cape just yet, but – I never thought I would do this as long as Bruce does it. I… have exit plans,” Tim answered. 

“Of course you do. Do you want to fake your own death?” Jason asked. 

“Yeah, not mine, of course, Red Robin’s,” Tim replied. “I would have let you know ahead of time.” 

“Not like a certain someone you mean,” Jason said. 

“I will never live this down, will I?” Dick moaned. 

“It was a dick move-“ Jason started and Dick burst out laughing. 

“Yeah, I guess it was.” 

“You suck,” Jason said. 

Dick looked at him. His eyes earnest. “I do.” 

“He’s good at it too,” Tim threw in. 

And Jason was suddenly reminded again what this was really about. Dick coming on to him. Tim not having a problem with it. 

“You want to join this love fest too?” Jason asked Tim. 

“If you’re okay with that.” 

Jason wasn’t even sure he was okay with Dick coming on to him, but he couldn’t deny that he had liked the way Dick had kissed him. 

“You don’t have to decide now. I just wanted to let you know that we’re interested in more,” Dick said.

“In whatever form that more might work for you,” Tim added. 

“And if I’m not interested in more?” Jason asked. 

“That’s fine too, obviously. I mean this works for us,” Tim said. 

Dick was biting his lip like he wanted to contradict Tim, but then he just nodded and that right there sealed the deal for Jason. He leaned forward and kissed Dick like he had imagined kissing Dick countless times back in the day when he had been Robin, before he had died. 

“You’re not allowed to throw us out when this doesn’t work out,” Dick said, once Jason ended the kiss. Dick was clutching Jason’s t-shirt. Jason liked the way his eyes had gone dark.

“I won’t. I won’t do that to John, you know it. Besides how much worse can it get? I mean, I did try to kill you – on several occasions,” Jason replied. 

“Water under the bridge now,” Tim said. 

Jason leaned his head against the back of the couch and smiled. “Guess so, it’s a brave new world.” 

“Will you ever tell Bruce about all this?” Dick asked. 

“He’s smart, he’ll figure out sooner or later that I’m out of the game and have no intention of coming back. He’ll also figure out that you guys helped me disappear.”

“It’s all Tim’s doing,” Dick said. 

“Well, you keep my secret.”

“It’s our secret,” Tim said. 

“I’ll tell him eventually, I do want Bruce to know his grandchild. Once John is older.” 

“Good,” Dick said. He got up from the coffee table and sat down beside Jason. 

Jason looked at Tim. “What are you doing so far away?”

Tim shrugged and when Jason held out his hand to him, he relaxed and sat down beside Jason. 

“So…Netflix and Chill?” Dick asked.

Jason nudged him in the ribs none to gently. “Down for the Netflix, not for the Chill.”

“You’ll get there,” Tim whispered. 

Jason laughed.  
His life was fantastic.


End file.
